The beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet and its components on cardiovascular and mental health appears to be well established. However, according to the study by Barchitta M. et al. the beneficial health effect of the Mediterranean diet and specific Mediterranean foods on breast cancer survivors’ quality of life is still inconclusive.
Within the context of a low consumption of red meat and carbonated beverages, daily consumption of wine and high consumption of sofrito (a sauce made with tomatoes, onions, and garlic simmered with olive oil) showed beneficial effects. Using olive oil as the main culinary fat, consuming low amounts of commercial sweets, and a high intake of nuts were associated with negative effects on quality of life. According to these
results, the authors concluded that the Mediterranean diet has a null effect on quality of life of breast cancer survivors. However, the low sample size (n=42) of the study should be considered when interpreting the results and also consider that other authors have demonstrated the beneficial effects of a dietary and physical intervention on the quality of life of such patients. Therefore, more efforts (large sample size randomized intervention studies) are needed to understand the effect of the Mediterranean diet and its components, including olive oil, on breast cancer survivors’ quality of life.
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